‘Only known terror camps were targeted’: Operation Sindoor was focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature

India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on Wednesday, in response to the April 22 terror attack on civilians in Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, leading to the deaths of 26 holidayers. The Ministry of Defence said that a lot of restraint was exercised in the night raids, and terror camps were targeted. 

At 1:44 am, the ministry said that night raids were “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”. “No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” it said, adding that the retaliation came in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack. “We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” it said. 

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling it an act of war, said the country has the “right to give a befitting reply”. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to the national security advisors from India and Pakistan, and urged them to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.

However, the escalation was necessitated by Pakistan’s lack of action to curb terrorism. “It was expected that Pakistan would take action against terrorists and the infrastructure that supports them. Instead, during the fortnight that has gone by, Pakistan has indulged in denial and made allegations of false flag operations against India,” said the Indian embassy in the US, adding that India has credible leads, technical inputs and testimony of survivors, among other things to point towards the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the Pahalgam attack. 

“India's actions have been focused and precise. They were measured, responsible and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets have been hit. Only known terror camps were targeted,” reiterated the embassy, adding that Ajit Doval briefed Rubio about the actions taken by the Indian Air Force.

India targeted nine locations, out of which four were in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammed camps in Markaz Subhan Allah at Bahawalpur, Sarjal at Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli and Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad, Lashkar-e-Taiba camps in Markaz Taiba at Murdike, Markaz Ahle Hadith at Barnala and Shwawai Nalla camp at Muzaffarabad, and Hizbul Mujahideen camps and training centres in Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli and Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot were targeted in the operation.